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DEMÄNOVSKÁ ICE CAVE
NATURAL NATURE MONUMENT
 

Cadastral area: Demänovská Dolina
District: Liptovský Mikuláš
Reqion: Žilina

Demänovská Ice Cave is situated on the right‑hand slopes of the Demänovská Valley in the northern part of the Low Tatras National Park. Entrance to the cave is in the cliff called Bašta (Bastion), 840 meters above the sea level.

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It was formed in the Middle Triassic Gutenstein limestones of the Križanský nappe along the tectonic faults by the former underground flow of Demänovka at three developmental levels. It represents the former spring part of the Demänová Cave System. The cave is 1750 meters long.

Ice filling occurs in the lower parts of the cave filling from the entrance down to the depth of 40 to 50 meters. Ground ice, ice columns, stalactites, and stalagmites are present.

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A long known place where bones of various vertebrates including cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) that were erroneously taken for dragon bones were discovered in 18th century.

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The cave has been known since immemorial times. First written mention of the cave is in the Estergom Chapter bill from 1229. J. Buchholz Jr. surveyed it in 1714-1724. Numerous inscriptions on its walls (the oldest from 1714) and a lot of preserved literary resources from the 18th century are evidence of a great interest of the contemporary scientists and the general public.

The cave was open to the public in the eighties of the 19th century and reopened in 1950-1952. Currently, 650 meters are accesible.

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GO TO SLOVAKIA'S CAVES

Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 12, No.4, Winter 2004
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 2004
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of
Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.